Episode 3: Closer Enemies
by talli.b
Summary: Episode 3 in the Season 3 series.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: As you might have noticed, I've gone back to calling the T-1001 "Catherine Weaver". The reason for this is that 1) It's easier, and 2) I think the characters have resigned to seeing her as Catherine Weaver as well, and they think it's easier than saying "it" and "the T-1001". Or maybe that's just me making the characters that way.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or the show.

* * *

Most people in John Connor's situation may give up. In fact, a year ago, John Connor probably would have given up. He kind of did, in fact. But the events that had transpired over the past few weeks, as well as those leading up to these events, had prepared him for the looming battles. And yes, there would be more than one battle. Most likely, his whole life would consist of fighting these smaller battles. But as long as the battles never led to the larger war, John was somewhat gladly resigning himself to this. These battles would be fought in a world where buildings still stand. A world where food is not a luxury. A world where 4 billion people aren't dead. This is the world that John Connor is fighting for. And he has to fight his whole life to keep this world, he will.

These are the decisions that John Connor made for himself. Today was just the beginning. He would help George McCarthy's family, and in a few days' time, he would hopefully find the man that George McCarthy answered to in Kaliba.

John got out of the shower, now having a clearer understanding of what the next few days would consist of. He dried himself off, then wrapped the towel around his waist. He wiped away the steam on the mirror and stared for a few moments. This was John Connor. The leader of the resistance. This is who he is.

* * *

As the two men left the conference room, Catherine Weaver turned to Ellison. "What are your thoughts, Mr. Ellison?"

"My thoughts? I'm wondering why you just offered them jobs in the company."

"Well, I thought it was obvious, Mr. Ellison. Keep your enemies close. Although, it wouldn't be precise to label them as enemies, per se. But they are persons of interest. I'd like to keep them as close as possible for easier access to monitor."

"If that's what you think is best, than what can I do to stop you?"

"Exactly, Mr. Ellison. What can you do to stop me?"

With this, she left the room. Ellison stood there, not quite sure yet whether he trusted Catherine Weaver or not.

* * *

Sarah and Kyle had driven to the nearest major furniture store in search for a bed. As soon as they entered the store, a sales associate immediately approached them, asking what they were looking for.

Sarah, always the independent one, denied help, then moved past the sales associate towards where the beds were. Kyle followed her, overwhelmed when he saw the sheer variety and quantity of beds available. He didn't know how he would be able to choose. He hadn't ever had a decent bed, except before Judgment Day. And he didn't choose that one, his parents did.

Sarah looked to him. "So, which one?" She had a slight smirk on her face, and Kyle realized then that she was thinking the same thing as him.

"I really wouldn't know. What do you suggest?"

Sarah, without responding, walked straight to a bed on the end of a row of beds. "This one. Definitely this one. Try it out."

And he did. He laid down on the bed, feeling a little bit weird. He was half expecting some employee to come from out of nowhere and start yelling at him. As soon as he laid down, he realized why Sarah had chosen this one. It was perfect. Not too hard, not too soft. He felt like Goldilocks. He tilted his head towards Sarah. "Perfect. Wanna try it?" He motioned for her to join him, and despite her better judgment, she did. She sighed heavily as her body began to relax. It had been so long since she'd relaxed. Her breakdown the night before had surely had a hand in her ability to do so.

Sarah turned her head to Kyle. When she did, she saw that he had already been looking at her.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just, it's nice. Seeing you like that, you look less stressed, less anxious. Almost peaceful."

"Well, a good mattress will do that for you."

Then a voice spoke, "This is a great mattress. Good choice. Are you ready to check out?"

They both looked up to find a sales associate, eagerly awaiting the sale. They knew they should get back to the house as soon as possible, so they reluctantly got up and followed the associate to his desk.

They decided on a basic headboard for the mattress, along with a just as basic frame. Sarah paid with her new credit card, and confirmed with the associate that the bed would be delivered immediately, per the extra delivery fee she had paid.

As Kyle and Sarah left the store, Kyle asked her, "If you love that mattress so much, why didn't you get one for yourself?"

She replied, "Because I already have that mattress."

* * *

When John entered his room from the bathroom, he was surprised to find Cameron there, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Are you finished securing the perimeter already?"

"Yes. You were in the shower for an unusually long time. 23 minutes and 14 seconds. Then you spent an extra 3 minutes and 36 seconds in the bathroom after you finished your shower. That is sufficient time for me to complete my patrol of the area."

"Right. Didn't realize I'd been in there for that long."

"What were you doing in there?"

It crossed John's mind that she may be suspecting a different reason than the actual reason, so he quickly replied. "I was thinking about what needs to be done. What the best way is to go about everything."

"And what did you determine?"

"I think we should go to Desert Cantos. We should bring Zoe and her mother here, where they'll be safe. If Kaliba realizes that McCarthy is M.I.A., then they may try to get to him through them."

"Yes, that may be the case. Derek can stay with McCarthy, and you and I will go to Desert Cantos."

"Good." He stood there, awkwardly for a moment. "So maybe you could explain everything to Derek while I get dressed?"

"Oh. Of course." Her reaction amused John. She had seemed almost...embarrassed. She quickly got up and left the room.

John turned to his dresser and found some clothes. Looking at the selection provided by Catherine Weaver, he was surprised how much they resembled what he most likely would have bought for himself.

* * *

Once John and Cameron were on the road, Cameron driving this time, John called his mom.

She answered, and they each entered their respective codes. "John?" she asked, concern coating her voice.

"Hey, mom. I just wanted to call you and let you know that Cameron and I are heading out to Desert Cantos."

"What? That wasn't the plan."

"Yeah, I know, but I got to thinking, and McCarthy's family could be in danger. I think it's best if we get them out of there as soon as possible."

"Why didn't you wait for me?"

"Because I don't know when we'll be back, and someone has to go meet with Weaver."

"Well, if they're really in danger, than you'll be right in the middle of it, John. Did you think of that?"

Annoyed, he replied, "Yes, I did think of that. But then I realized that I'm gonna be in danger either way, so might as well stick with Cameron. And if they are in danger, than they'll need Cameron to protect them."

Sarah resigned, still not pleased with the situation. "I guess. But John, any sign of danger, you get out of there. Leave Cameron to deal with it."

They both knew that he wouldn't do this, but he kept up the pretense anyway. "Yeah, I will."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

"Okay, bye mom."

He hung up the phone and turned to Cameron. Her window was down and the wind was blowing through her hair. He sat there for a few minutes, just admiring it. He remembered how soft it was, and immediately reached out his hand to feel it again.

Cameron turned to John with a smile on her face.

It occurred to John that they hadn't really talked about their relationship yet. Sure, he knew that he loved her, but what now? What did that really mean? They'd started to talk about it before, but he hadn't really known what to say. He knew that he still didn't know, but he thought maybe the way to figure it out was to just start talking about it.

"Cam?"

Cameron's eyes were back on the road, but they turned to find his when he spoke her name. "Yes, John?"

"I've been thinking about us, and I thought maybe we should start talking."

"About what, John?"

"About what we're feeling. Probably more so what you're feeling, I guess. Is there anything else you can tell me about how you feel about me?"

"Yes. I enjoy kissing you." This made John blush. Cameron continued, "I respect your decisions. You are a good man. I am seeing now what I see in you later. The way you take charge, the wise decisions that you make. Many of which I don't necessarily agree with, but they've often worked out for the best. You see everything, John, not just what's right in front of you. You notice the things that others fail to deem important. You take everything in to consideration and choose the best path. Because of these attributes, you inspire loyalty from everyone. You have always inspired loyalty, though. That is who you are. And I admire all of these things. I often wish I could understand things the way you do. I wish I could see the world the way you do."

John was speechless. Cameron had never spoken so emphatically about anything. She sounded almost...passionate.

When John didn't say anything, Cameron got concerned. "John? Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

He pulled himself out of his daze. "No, Cameron. In fact, what you said was perfect. I feel a lot better about everything."

And he did. He was sure now that Cameron could love him. Not because she was programmed to do so, but because she sees things in him that she admires and loves. He knew then that there was no going back.

He and Cameron were in love.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or the show.

* * *

John and Cameron pulled up to the McCarthy house in Charm Acres, hoping that they were still there. They could have easily left. But since this was the only place John and Cameron could think to look, they had to try.

They got out of the car and followed the front path up to the door. John rang the doorbell, expecting to not get a reply. To his surprise, the door opened to reveal Zoe. When she saw John, a mixture of confusion and fear came over her face.

"Hi, Zoe. We need to talk."

* * *

John Henry had taken to exploring the world around him. He did so mostly at night, as his body was one that had been connected to the death of twenty FBI agents and a half a dozen civilians.

But today was different. It was around lunchtime and he was curious as to what went on in the city during the day. Mrs. Weaver had encouraged him to wear a hat and sunglasses in order to conceal his appearance, which he obliged.

He had been walking for 1.7 miles when he reached a very populated area. From his surveys of the city, he knew that this was an area that had many products and services available for purchase. He marveled at the efficiency of it. There was a park for the children to play in, a variety of food vendors to choose from, as well as other vendors who sold a plethora of merchandise. _Yes, this will do_, John Henry thought to himself. He found an empty park bench to sit on that had the best available view of the many subjects of his interest.

He sat and watched the many people enjoying their afternoon. It was a Sunday, which John Henry knew was the day of rest in the Christian religion, and many other religions. It was the day that God had rested after creating the universe. John Henry also knew from his research that many non-religious people also associated Sunday as the day of rest. It was often the only day people would refuse to work. Often the only day that people would not be asked to work. It was a day for enjoying life.

John Henry was enjoying his day of rest. He hoped that the humans would be able to continue to enjoy their day of rest for a long time. If his plan worked, then they would.

* * *

"John? What are you doing here?"

"Let us in, and I'll explain."

"No, you explain, and then I'll let you in."

"Look, Zoe, no one can know we're here, so please let us in."

Just then, Cameron reached out and pushed the door open and stepped through past Zoe. John followed.

Zoe stood by, unable to do anything to stop them.

"I saw the news." She closed the door and turned to them. "Your mom was arrested. But then she escaped, along with the rest of the prison population."

John responded, "That wasn't our doing. At least not the release of the prisoners."

Zoe scoffed, then asked John again, "What are you doing here? We don't know anything else."

John turned to Cameron. "Cameron, go find her mom. Bring her here."

Cameron left the room and John turned back to Zoe.

"We found your dad."

Zoe was unsure how to feel about this, and it showed on her face. When she didn't respond, John continued. "We weren't looking for him. We got a lead on some suspicious activity, and that's when we saw him. You were right, Zoe."

This surprised Zoe. She wasn't sure what John meant. "Right about what?"

"About your dad. He's not a bad guy."

"But he killed Mike and his family. I think that pretty much makes him a bad guy."

"Look, I'm not saying he's a good guy. I'm just saying that there's more to the story. I think he was protecting you. And now I'm here to protect you."

At that, Cameron entered the room pulling Mrs. McCarthy with her.

"You both need to come with us. I think you're in danger. You can't stay here."

Mrs. McCarthy was not happy to see John and Cameron again, and was definitely not happy about what John had just said. "What? Why should we believe you?"

"You should believe me because I was the one who knew something was wrong. I was the one who found out what was really going on around here. Or at least part of it. Look, if you don't wanna see your father, your husband, then you don't have to. But you have to come with us. Now."

"My husband? You know where he is?"

"Yes. And he wants to see you. But you don't have to. My main concern is keeping the two of you safe."

Cameron walked to the window, surveying the street.

"I'll explain everything later."

Mrs. McCarthy still wasn't sure. "You two are fugitives. I'm not going anywhere with you. I could just call the police and turn you in."

"You don't want to do that."

"Why not?"

Cameron cut in, "John?"

John didn't hear her as he responded to Mrs. McCarthy's question. "Because then we wouldn't be protecting you anymore. You'd be in our way. I don't have to be here. But I promised your husband that I'd keep you safe if he helped us, and he has. I try to keep all of my promises, but if the means don't justify the ends, then I have to break my promise."

Cameron spoke louder now, "John!"

"What?"

There's a Triple-8 making its way down the street. It's almost here."

* * *

"Mommy?"

Catherine Weaver looked up from her desk at home. "Yes, Savannah?"

"Is John Henry going to leave now?"

Catherine Weaver tilted her head to the side. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, now he doesn't have that cord in the back of his head. And he goes out a lot. There's nothing to keep him here anymore."

"Of course there is, Savannah."

"What?"

"You are keeping him here, among other things. He enjoys spending time with you. If he ever did leave for a sustained period of time, he'd always come back."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Savannah. His work is here, and you are here. He is not leaving."

"Okay." Savannah still didn't seem sure, but they both let it drop.

"Did John and his mommy get in trouble?"

"No, Savannah. They are all right. I just saw them a few days ago. In fact, I went on a little trip with John the other day. The day that Mr. Ellison picked you up from gymnastics. Do you remember?"

"Yes. I remember. Do you think maybe I can see them again?"

"Well, I believe that John's mother will be here shortly. You can see for yourself that she is okay. But then you'll have to go into your room because we have some business to discuss."

"Okay. I'm glad they're okay. They saved me, you know."

"Yes, Savannah, I know. Now get back to your math practices please."

* * *

"Then we run." He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her with him. She didn't budge.

"No, John, it's too close, it'll catch up. I'll stay and fight it off, the three of you take the tunnels."

"Cameron? No. We can make it."

"John, you have to leave now. Please."

With that, she pulled free from his grip and opened the front door and stepped outside.

John knew there was no way he could survive if the Triple-8 saw him. At least not without putting Cameron into more danger.

So he turned and to the McCarthy's. "Okay, let's go."

They had seen how scared John had been, so they trusted him enough to follow him.

The three made their way out to the garage and entered the tunnels through the door in the floor. When they were all there, John started running through the tunnel, the McCarthy's following close behind him.

John yelled back, "Which one is the entrance to Mike's house?"

Zoe spoke up, "Turn right, then it's the sixth one."

John took the next right, and ran as he counted the entrances.

When he reached the sixth one, he stopped. Zoe, surprised that he didn't continue on to the house, asked him, "We're not going to the house?"

"No. It's safer if we stay here, where the Triple-8 can't see us. But if he finds the tunnels, we need a quick exit. It needed to be a house that I know is empty."

So they all sat down, catching their breath. John looked to Mrs. McCarthy. She was just staring straight ahead, possibly in shock. He looked at Zoe, who was sitting between them. Zoe could sense his eyes on her. "Is this what your life is like?"

John hesitated before answering. "Yeah."

"How long?"

"Forever? Mostly. We had some good spurts. A couple of months here, a year or two there. I think the longest was two years. It was the most normal life we ever lived. My mom was with this great guy. They were going to get married. But then she made us leave."

"Why?"

"Because we were lying to him. We put him in danger. Mostly I think she was scared. Didn't matter anyway, he died. They all die."

Zoe looked panicked, and John realized what she must have thought about what he just said. "Not you. I just mean, the people I let into my life. In a few days, you'll be gone. You'll start a new life. But me, I lose everyone who becomes a part of my life."

"What about your mom? And Cameron?"

"My mom's...a fighter. She's the reason I'm alive today."

"And Cameron?"

"She's...a fighter too."

"So she's not really your sister, is she?"

John was surprised, but unwilling to keep up the pretense anymore. "No, she's not. How'd you know?"

"The news. They kept on calling her a high school friend or an accomplice."

"Yeah. But it's weird to travel around with a teenager who isn't related to either of the people she's traveling with."

"And illegal too," Zoe pointed out.

John chuckled. "Yeah, that too." He'd been breaking the law for so long, he had forgotten which ones he was breaking.

"So what's she doing with you guys?"

"She works with us."

"Okay...But why?"

"She has skills and knowledge that we need." John couldn't ascertain what Zoe's point was exactly.

"But why her? Is she special in some way? Why did she stay behind?"

"It's what she does. Yeah, she's special. She's...trained in martial arts and krav maga and stuff. She's stronger than she looks."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"What?" John was caught off-guard. "What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. You seemed really worried about her staying. You still seem worried."

"Yeah, well, we work together and I care about her."

"Sure. She looks like that, and you only 'care about her'."

They both exchanged smirks, and Zoe let the subject rest.

John tried to get his mind off of worrying about Cameron and focus it on worrying about how they were going to get out of there.

* * *

Cameron shot at the spot on the Triple-8's head where the chip was located repeatedly before he could reach her. She knew it probably wouldn't do any good, she only had a 9mm on her. The rest of the guns were in the truck. But she also knew it couldn't hurt. As she fired her last shot, the Triple-8 pushed her to the side, heading for the door. She used her legs to bring him down with her. She got up and ran towards the truck. The Triple-8 was right behind her.

Before she reached the truck, the Triple-8 rammed into her, thankfully pushing her closer to the truck, but at the same time closer to the ground as she came down hard. Cameron reached for a nearby rock, about the size of her own head, and began to repeatedly smash it into the Triple-8's head. He didn't hesitate to push her away. Cameron could see that his chip had some damage, due to his flinching and apparent lack of cognizance. But this only lasted for a few seconds, and soon he was able engage in combat, and he started punching her. She let him punch her closer and closer to the truck, where she swung the door open to hit him. It didn't stop him though.

He pushed her to the side, and seeing the rifle on the floor of the backseat of the truck, he grabbed it and turned to shoot her.

* * *

"John?"

John looked up, hearing his name being called. It sounded like Cameron, but the voice came from far away. He almost answered, but then he stopped himself. _It could be the Triple-8. _John quietly helped Zoe and her mother up then motioned for them to make their way up to the house.

Zoe looked at John, confused. She couldn't understand why he didn't answer, why they were running away from Cameron.

John started following Zoe and her mother, but then he heard her voice again.

"John? It's me." There was silence for a moment, as she waited for a response, but none came. "I can prove it. You came to find me. You left your mom and you came for me. You told me that you'd always find me. And now I need to find you."

That was enough proof for him. "Cameron?"

"John?" Then he heard her running towards him. He peered his head out into the tunnel and saw her. In a few moments, she had reached him and he took her into his arms.

"I was so worried about you."

"You were?" She asked, half confused, half pleased.

"Yes. What happened, did you get his chip?" She held out her hand, and in it was what John assumed was the Triple-8's chip.

"Good. Let's go back and load it into the truck. We'll burn it when we get home."

Zoe appeared then. "So we're okay? We're in the clear?"

"Yeah," John said, "we're good. For now."


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or the show.

* * *

There she was, staring at the barrel of a gun. Though her processes worked quickly, she couldn't be sure that they would be quick enough this time. The doubt was unfamiliar. It was annoying, too.

The Triple-8 squeezed the trigger, but Cameron was able to dodge it. The machine aimed the rifle at her again, this time placing his foot on her chest, to keep her from moving. This, however, gave her time to reach up and pull the Triple-8 down with her. She reached for the rifle, but he held on tight to it, using it to strike her repeatedly.

Then he flinched.

That's all she needed to gain the upper hand. She tore the rifle out of his hands, then pushed him hard enough to send him a few feet away. She grabbed the knife that she kept strapped to her ankle, then placed the rifle across his neck, putting all her weight on it to keep him down. She cut into his skull, finding the cap of the chip port and flicking it off. She used her fingers to twist the chip, which took longer, but was her only choice. Finally, she got the chip out, and the Triple-8's struggling body went limp.

She pulled the machine into the McCarthy house before she made her way to the shed to access the tunnels.

* * *

Sarah drove the truck into the driveway of Catherine Weaver's house. The last time she'd been here, she had snuck in, not knowing what to expect. While it all seemed so long ago, she was surprised when she realized that it was just last week. _Oh, how things change._

She walked up to the front door, about to ring the doorbell when Catherine Weaver opened the door.

"Hello, Ms. Connor. How are you today?" She gestured for Sarah to come inside. Sarah hesitated, then slowly stepped through the doorway. The door closed behind her. The last time she was here, she hadn't had the chance to take in the house. As she took that time now, she realized how appropriate the decor and the architecture of the house was for a machine. Very modern. As her gaze moved to the left, she saw where Derek had once lay, dead. She had to remind herself that though that Derek is dead, another one was back at home.

Catherine Weaver brought her out of her daze. "Ms. Connor, would you like to sit?" She motioned towards the living room. Sarah nodded slightly as they sat down across from each other.

"I apologize that I was not able to meet with you until now. As you can imagine, things are very hectic right now. After the events of last week, there are many things that demand my attention. The rebuilding of my office, for example. Now, you were very vague over the phone. What is it that you need?"

"We need to obtain new identities for three people. A family. Complete package. Birth certificate, driver's license, social security number, everything. We have someone who can take care of it, but we need cash. And the stuff you left for us at the house won't be enough."

"Which three people are these identities for?"

Sarah decided to play it as close to the vest as possible. "It's a witness. Someone working with Kaleba. They threatened his family, but now that we can help him get away, he's willing to help us get closer to Kaleba. There's a meet set for tomorrow. At least one member of Kaleba will be there. Someone with more security clearance than the guy we've got. John and Cameron are headed to bring the family here as we speak."

"Well, this sounds like a fortunate turn of events, Ms. Connor. Of course, I will grant you the money. But I wonder, where were you planning on keeping the family until they leave?"

That was a good question. Sarah hadn't really thought of that. She assumed at the new house, but if it was supposed to be a safe house, how safe would it be if they kept allowing strangers to come there? McCarthy had been an exception. He'd been blindfolded. They couldn't very well blindfold every potential witness or asset before bringing them to the house. "I'm not sure. I was hoping you'd have a suggestion."

"As a matter of fact, I do, Ms. Connor. I have an additional safe house set up for situations such as these." She reached over to the table next to the couch she was sitting on and grabbed a pen and paper. She wrote some information down on it and tore the paper off of the pad and handed it to Sarah. Sarah reached out for it, then looked at what Weaver had written. It was an address.

"The security code is 5646. It spells out 'John' on a telephone keypad. I thought it was appropriate, considering you have a John and I, as well, have a John."

"Oh. Okay." Sarah was finding it difficult to adjust to seeing a T-1001 as an ally, as a person in a way. The fact that she couldn't be programmed and had free will was alarming. That she could even decide on her own to save the world, to create John Henry in the first place.

"Ms. Connor?" Sarah looked up to see that Weaver had somehow gotten a small stack of 100 dollar bills together for Sarah. Sarah took the money and placed it in her jacket pocket.

"Then if there's nothing else." Weaver moved to lead Sarah out, but paused as she realized Sarah was not moving with her. "Or is there something else?"

"No. I just...I was wondering..."

"Yes?"

"What role do you expect my son to play in your plan?"

"Your son is important. Not only does he lead the resistance in the future, he inspires people."

"Yes. But if your plan works and we prevent the war, what role is he to play in helping things along?"

"Ms. Connor, your son is not only valuable in the war, but in the times before the war as well. I believe that the world needs both of our Johns to ensure its safety, as I told you before."

"Okay."

"You are still unsure."

"Yes."

"That is because you have yet to see exactly what will be done. And the only way you can see that is to be here, a part of it. The sooner you accept that, the better our chances are of succeeding."

"Okay, then." Sarah got up to leave now, and Weaver followed her to the front door. Sarah purposely avoided looking at a certain part of the hallway as she reached to open the door. She stepped outside, then turned to Weaver. "Thank you. For the cash."

"You're welcome." Then she closed the door and walked away.

_She's still a machine, though, that much is obvious._

_

* * *

_

When John, Cameron, and the McCarthy women entered the McCarthy house, they immediately saw the destroyed T-888. Zoe and her mother gasped, having not been prepared for what lay in front of them. John, having been concerned about the damages to Cameron's body (thankfully not bad enough to show any metal where the McCarthy's could see), was actually now surprised that she hadn't suffered worse. The Triple-8 seemed to have sustained much more damage than Cameron. He realized then that Cameron had shot the Triple-8 repeatedly before he had even reached her. This was part of the reason he looked so much more damaged.

"What is that?" Mrs. McCarthy asked, horrified.

Cameron answered, "It's a cybernetic organism Terminator series 888. Don't worry, it won't harm you. I have disabled it." She then reached down and picked up the Triple-8 body and carried it to the truck. After she had left, John turned to two women. "I know, this is all a little crazy. I promise I'll explain everything, but right now, we need to leave."

"Why? Is there another one on its way?" Zoe asked, a slight hint of terror in her voice.

"Most likely not. Usually only one is sent on a mission like this. But it's still best to get as far away as possible. We have time for the two of you to grab a few things. One bag for each of you. The smaller the better. Just a some clothes and anything that is truly important. Everything else stays."

As they each headed upstairs, silently, Cameron was just coming back from the truck.

"Hey," John smiled at Cameron, finally able to have a moment with her.

"Hey," she said back, following his lead. He took her into his arms and kissed her hair. Cameron wasn't sure why he did this, but she knew that for some reason, she liked it.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"Yes, I am glad I am okay as well. Your survival is much more likely if I remain okay."

John chuckled. "Is that the only reason you're glad to be okay?"

"No. Self preservation is very important to me. It's why I can't terminate myself."

John was reminded then of the bomb Cameron had placed in her head and the detonator she had given to him. He knew that it didn't matter now, as Cameron was in a new body, but it still brought back unanswered questions and memories that he wasn't exactly thrilled about.

"John?"

"What?"

Cameron was a bit disappointed when John didn't respond with his usual 'Yeah, Cam', but she continued anyway. "You have been silent for 45.7 seconds. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, Cameron, as alright as things can be."

Cameron didn't believe him, but knew from experience that John would talk about it when he was ready.

"Okay. I'm glad."

Just then, Cameron pulled away from John, which he didn't like at all. But he realized a moment later why she had pulled away. Zoe and her mother appeared at the top of the stairs, each with a bag in hand.

"Okay, then. Let's hit the road."

* * *

When Sarah had dropped Kyle off before heading to Catherine Weaver's house, Kyle had taken over staying with McCarthy. The furniture delivery came, so Derek showed the guys where to put the bed. Kyle found himself wanting to collapse onto that new bed, but knew that he had to give Derek a longer break. He wondered to himself if it was even necessary for there to be someone with McCarthy at all times. Could he really get free did he really want to? _Of course he wants to. No one wants to be handcuffed to a bed unless..._.

So Kyle waited.

"What's your part in all of this?"

The sound of McCarthy's voice surprised Kyle. He almost jumped a little, but instead, he responded, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, how'd you get involved in this?"

"Well, I guess you could say I've kind of always been a part of this. And it's not like once you know you can just turn your back on it, pretend you don't know..." he trailed off, realizing that this was in direct opposition of what they were expecting McCarthy to do. They expected him to just leave, start a new life, forget any of this ever happened.

"Well, you know, I'm deep in it. I don't really have anything or anyone else. You've got a chance. And the info you've given us is enough reason for you to now move on. You've helped us immensely...well, potentially. We'll see tomorrow."

"Yeah. We'll see." McCarthy paused. "So are they bringing my family here, or...?"

"Um, I'm not sure. John plays it close to the vest, you know. I guess he's a lot like his mom like that..." Kyle smiled in spite of himself, realizing that was actually something he liked about Sarah. He was generally open, so it surprised him that he could appreciate her being somewhat closed off.

"So you got something going on with her? She's a bit older than you, isn't she?"

"There's nothing going on there. And no, she's only a few years older than me." Kyle knew that the age difference was bigger than just a few years, but he didn't really think of Sarah as "old", and he didn't want McCarthy to either. Kyle also wasn't sure if there was anything going on with Sarah, it felt like there might be, but he sure as hell didn't want to let McCarthy know that.

McCarthy had no response to what Kyle had said, so Kyle took the opportunity to change the subject.

"How did you not know what you were doing?"

"You mean in Desert Cantos, with Kaleba?"

"Yeah. I find that hard to believe. What did you think was so secretive, who did you think you were working for?"

"Honestly, we all thought we were working on some secret government defense project. We thought what we were doing was legal, or at least government sanctioned. Now I find out its not, and that machines are actually using us to build other machines that will kill off the human race? It's a little mind-blowing to say the least."

"So if you thought you were working for the government, why'd you tell John all about it? Aren't you trained to keep the secrets at all costs?"

"Yeah, but I was tired. I missed my family. John was giving me a chance. A chance to get away, be with my family, start a new life. The only reason I stayed with the company so long was because of my family. I was worried what would happen to them, to me, if I left the company. I've seen what's happened to other employees. I've been a part of it. I was supposed to be dead. But then I found out that the company knew I hadn't died. I thought dying was gonna be my way out, but turns out it wasn't. So I grabbed the drone and brought it to the warehouse."

"By drone, you mean HK? Hunter/Killer?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Because I've seen them before."

* * *

The car was silent as Cameron drove the group away from Desert Cantos. As soon as they left, he had called Sarah and she had told him what had happened at Catherine Weaver's house. They set a place to meet, and they would follow her, Derek, Kyle, and McCarthy to the safe house.

John was playing with the Triple-8's chip, turning it over and over again in his hands. Something occurred to him, and he began to examine it more closely. "This one's not destroyed."

"What?" Cameron asked.

"The chips from the most recent machines have been upgraded to self-destruct when removed. This one is fine. I mean, a few dings, but otherwise fine. This machine must have been here for a long time, sent here from an earlier time."

"An earlier time?" Zoe piped up from the back.

John realized that he hadn't yet mentioned anything about time travel, and hadn't really planned on mentioning it either. But he had forgotten for a moment that he needed to be careful, and had let it slip.

"Um, yeah, all of these machines come from the future. About twenty years from now."

"How?"

Cameron explained, "By use of Time Displacement Equipment. The machines invent it, and use it to terminate any threats to them. But then the leader of the human resistance gains control over it and is able to send soldiers back through time to protect the threats to Skynet."

"Skynet?"

"Yes. The computer program that leads the machines in the war against the human race."

"You're serious?"

"Yes. Why would I joke about something like this?" John chuckled quietly to himself at Cameron's inability to understand Zoe's response. He missed that. Cameron gave him a strange look, but didn't ask him what he had found so funny.

"I don't know. I just...it's a little crazy isn't it? Time travel?"

John turned to look at Zoe. "Cybernetic organism Terminators are a little crazy, too. But you saw it. It's real. And that's just the beginning. But hopefully you won't have to know the rest. Hopefully, we'll send you on your way, then prevent the war, and you'll be able to live a happy, safe life."

John said this with a certain hint of sadness. He knew that he would probably never have a happy, safe life. But that didn't mean that Zoe couldn't.

Cameron noticed the change in John's mood, and reached over and placed his hand in hers.

* * *

When Sarah got home, she was happy to smell something delicious coming from the kitchen. She walked in, expecting to find Derek, but instead found Kyle. Kyle turned to her as she approached, and a smile spread on his face.

"I've never really cooked, but I found some cookbooks, so I thought I'd give it a try. If it's horrible, then there's frozen pizza in the freezer."

"No, it smells great. And if it tastes as great as it smells, there will be no need for the frozen pizza."

Kyle's smile grew wider. "Thanks."

"So...uh..." She searched for something to say. "Did your bed get here alright?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm looking forward to sleeping in it tonight."

There was some awkward silence. Then Sarah spoke, "Well, I talked to John, and they're on their way. We're gonna meet him in an hour with McCarthy, then head over to a safe house that Weaver set up for situations like these."

"Oh. Okay. Well, dinner should be ready by then, and we can take the rest with us for everyone else."

"That sounds good. So, I was thinking John, Cameron, and I would stay with the McCarthy's, and you and Derek can head back here for the night. You deserve to sleep in your own bed for the first time, plus there's no need for all of us to be there." She wasn't sure how Kyle would react to this. She knew that it was probably safer for them to all stay together, but she didn't think it was necessary. Plus, that's a lot of people to fit into one house.

"Yeah, that's good. Kinda been looking forward to sleeping on the bed, so that's good." Sarah thought she detected a hint of disappointment in Kyle's tone, but she let it slide. _No reason to be overanalyzing things like this to death._

"Okay, then I'm gonna go take a shower, then we can eat."

"Okay."

When he was sure that Sarah had left the room, Kyle let go of his forced smile.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I finally looked up Mrs. McCarthy's first name (originally assuming we hadn't known), and she is listed as Stella McCarthy. So she will from now on be referred to as Stella.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or the show.

* * *

Sarah, Derek, and Kyle had finished the meal Kyle had cooked. He had made a delicious chicken marsala with a side of spaghetti and a Caesar salad. They had also given McCarthy a plate. Now it was time to leave to meet John, Cameron, and the McCarthy women. Kyle packed up the left over food while Derek and Sarah loaded up the truck with extra ammunition.

"Do you think this is really necessary?" Derek asked Sarah.

"Probably not, but you can never be too careful. We've got some high priority hostages here."

"Can you really say that they're our hostages?"

Sarah gave him an 'are you kidding me' look. "One of them is handcuffed to a bed upstairs right now. If that doesn't say 'hostage' to you, I don't know what does."

Derek submitted to her assessment as they carried the ammunition to the truck.

When they got back inside, they found Kyle in Cameron's room, helping McCarthy up. His hands were handcuffed together now. This made it difficult for him to walk what with his injured leg. He couldn't really lean on Kyle as much. So Derek rushed to help them as they led McCarthy out to the truck. Sarah got the tupperware filled with the leftovers and followed them out.

* * *

Cameron pulled up to Jim's Diner about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. John took a look around, not surprised that the others weren't here yet.

They waited silently for a few minutes before Zoe spoke, "Um, I kind of need to use the bathroom." Cameron turns to Zoe. "You can hold it."

"Cameron, come on, we've got time," John tried persuading her, "We've got time."

Cameron thought for one second before replying, "Alright, that is agreeable." She opened the driver's side door and got out, then opened Zoe's door (they had activated the child locks on the back doors), and Zoe stepped out. Cameron closed both doors then waited for Zoe to go first, then followed her.

When they entered the diner, the place was almost empty. They attracted some attention, particularly from the males in the establishment, but Cameron nudged Zoe to continue walking. They found the restrooms to the left, and Cameron followed Zoe inside. She canvassed the small restroom. It had two stalls and a sink. There was no window, which Cameron knew would keep anyone from accessing the room from outside the establishment. _Only one point of entry._

"You know, you can stay outside. I'm not going to run."

Cameron replied, "I know you will not run. There are no additional exits. There are stalls if you're worried about privacy." Cameron had learned that humans value privacy, but could not yet understand why.

Zoe didn't push the subject, just chose the closest stall and locked the door behind her.

_That lock will not keep out anyone dangerous. It would not keep me out. She must use it to ensure privacy, _Cameron thought to herself.

"So how do you know John?" Zoe asked from behind the locked stall door.

This surprised Cameron. She was sure that if Zoe valued privacy, she would not desire to engage in making conversation with her.

"I am here to protect him."

"Protect him from what?"

"The same thing we are protecting you from. Skynet, Terminators, enemies."

"How long have you known him?"

Cameron deducted that Zoe wanted to know how long Cameron had known _this _John, not the future John. "1 year, 7 months, 2 weeks, 4 days and 10 hours." John had often told her that it was weird to describe units of time down to the minute, so she rounded it up to the hour. She was very proud of herself and made a note to tell John about this.

"Okay..." Cameron didn't pick up on Zoe's confusion.

"So you live with him and his mom?"

"Yes, and Derek and his brother Kyle."

"Kyle? He didn't come to Desert Cantos that day."

"No, he just recently arrived. Derek went away for a while, but then he came back with Kyle." Cameron knew she had to be careful not to be too specific. Although Zoe knew about time travel, the less she knew about Derek, and especially Kyle, the better.

Cameron heard the toilet flush and a moment later Zoe opened the door to the stall. "You guys got a full house." She went to wash her hands.

Cameron replied, "Yes, we have a lot of furniture and belongings. We are fortunate."

As Zoe dried her hands, she gave Cameron a unbelieving look before heading back out to the diner. Cameron, confused by Zoe's reaction, tilted her head to the side before following Zoe out of the room.

* * *

Out in the car, John and Stella waited in silence. John wasn't surprised. Stella hadn't spoken for a while. He suspected she was in shock. And very angry.

But then she surprised him.

"What happens now?"

He turned to her, caught off guard. "Now we go to the safe house." He always hated that term, 'safe house', he'd grown up being told nowhere is safe. "You'll see your husband and talk with him. You'll decide if you'd like to leave with him, or go separately. Then we'll get you new identities tomorrow. If you decide to leave without your husband, you'll have separate identities and he won't know your new one. I assume Zoe will go with you, and you'll start a new life. You'll have plenty of money to start you off. You'll need to keep a low profile."

"Our lives will never be normal again, will they?"

"I don't think your lives have been normal for a while now. Me? I don't even know what normal is. This is how I grew up."

* * *

Catherine Weaver has just put Savannah into bed for the night. She returns to the living room, where John Henry has just arrived.

"John Henry. You were gone longer than I had thought you would be."

"I was people-watching. It was very interesting. I obtained valuable information today. It is important for me to fully understand humans in order to sufficiently aid them. I believe I will now begin looking for potential allies. We will need additional resources to fully execute my plan."

"I agree. Would you like to be updated on the Connors?"

"Yes, very much so."

"They went to the warehouse and obtained George McCarthy. He agreed to provide intel on Kaleba. John and Cameron are bringing his family here. They will acquire new identities for the family, then ensure that the intel given is correct. There is a meet set up tomorrow that Mr. McCarthy's superior will be attending. The Connors will be there."

"That sounds promising. I believe Kaleba is our most immediate threat right now. It is most likely the organization that my brother is utilizing. Thank you for the update, Ms. Weaver."

"You're welcome, John Henry."

"I will now begin my search for allies."

Weaver left John Henry to his search.

* * *

Sarah, Derek, Kyle, and McCarthy arrive just as Zoe and Cam are exiting the diner. Sarah pulls up to the right of the other truck. She rolls down her window as John rolls down his. Zoe catches a glimpse of her father.

"Daddy?" she asks, equally scared and hopeful.

McCarthy, hearing his daughter call him, responds, "Zoe? Honey? Come here." He addresses Derek and Kyle. "Let me see her, just for a second, please."

Zoe, hearing her father calling her to come see him, shakes her head repeatedly. "No. No. I want to get back in the truck."

McCarthy's eyes water as he continues to call for his daughter. "Zoe? Please?" He turns to Sarah. "Just let me out, just for a second."

Sarah replies, "If she wants to see you, you'll have plenty of time later."

Sarah turns to look back out her window at John. "Just follow us, okay?"

He nods in agreement while Zoe gets back into the truck, followed by Cameron in the driver's seat. Cameron waits for Sarah to pull out before continuing after her.

John glances back at Stella. She hadn't spoken a word since her husband had arrived. There were tears pushing themselves out of her watery eyes and running down her face.

John wondered then how McCarthy could ever get them to forgive him.

* * *

They arrived at the safe house around 10:15 at night. It was smaller than the one purchased for the Connors. It was located in a large suburban neighborhood just outside Los Angeles. The houses were basic cookie-cutter houses. Each one looked the same. Sarah got out of the car and walked over to the driver's side of the other vehicle. Cameron rolled the window down.

"You'll come with me and secure the house." She looks to John. "If you hear anything suspicious, you take the truck and keep driving. I already told Kyle and Derek to stay and check it out, so you don't have to worry yourself with me."

"Yeah, sure." John knew the chances of something happening were small, so he didn't really have a problem agreeing with this plan.

Sarah moved out of the way so that Cameron could get out of the car. They each walked with diligence to the front door of the house. John chuckled to himself as he noticed the similarities between the two most important women in his life.

As Sarah approached the front door, she realized Weaver hadn't given her a key. She tried the door, and sure enough it was unlocked. _I guess if you have a good security system, there's no need to lock your door._

"There's a camera," Cameron stated.

Sarah looked at her confused, as Cameron pointed up to a small camera located outside and above the door. _Cameron probably wondered the same thing about the key._

This made more sense to Sarah, as she knew Weaver could track down anyone who tried to break into this house.

Sarah quietly entered the house, with Cameron following shortly behind. She motioned for Cameron to move in front of her, Sarah's own version of kevlar protection. The entry way led directly into the living area. To the left of the entry was a formal dining room, to the right was what looked like a small hallway that led to the master bedroom. The kitchen was adjacent to the living room, across from the dining room. Cameron followed the hallway running between the kitchen and dining room and secured the two bedrooms and bathroom. Meanwhile, Sarah checked the kitchen and waited for Cameron before assessing the master bedroom area. Cameron used the double doors in the master bedroom that led outside to ensure that the backyard was indeed secure as well.

"The area appears secure," Cameron stated.

"It's a good thing. Wouldn't be much of a safe house if it wasn't secure. Let's go get everyone else."

* * *

Catherine Weaver sat in the chair at her desk in her home office. Like most nights, she was running processes and data, ensuring that everything was in order. Any misstep and all would be lost. She had also taken to watching parenting tapes to aid her in raising Savannah properly. This was an important part of the plan. However, she had not yet gotten to this part of her night when John Henry entered the office.

"Yes, John Henry? May I help you?"

"I have found a potential asset. Her name is Carly Stoker."

"And what is special about this Carly Stoker?"

"She is regarded as the best hacker and computer specialist in the world. She contracts her services out to governments and businesses. Occasionally, she agrees to work with individuals. She specializes in a myriad of technological areas. Security, investigations, background checks, and many more. She is virtually limitless in her talent and ability when it comes to technological advancement. I believe that she could be a very good asset. Specifically because she does not seem interested in Artificial Intelligence."

"Very good, John Henry. It is beneficial that an asset not be pursuing their own Artificial Intelligence program. I would like to meet this Carly Stoker. I will contact her in the morning. Thank you, John Henry."

"You're welcome, Ms. Weaver."

* * *

Derek and Kyle brought McCarthy into the house first. They handcuffed him to a bed in one of the spare rooms.

Cameron and John soon followed with Zoe and Stella, Sarah having returned to the house with Derek and Kyle.

"They can sit here in the living room. I think it's time to explain everything." Sarah, learning her lesson earlier, waited for John to begin speaking.

"I promised you before that I would explain everything. So now I will. Your husband, your father, was working for an organization that is being run by machines, by cybernetic organisms. Soon, they will wage war on the human race. I want to make it clear that George maintains that he believed he was working on a special project for the government, and I believe him. Cameron and I were staking out a possible lead when we saw George. Later, we returned to investigate the organization. He is working for a group called Kaleba. This group has kidnapped my mother, as well as my uncle, and has tried to destroy Cameron. As you can see, they did not succeed. The company, among other things, was stocking up on supplies for the coming war. They were going to build an army of machines. When the factory burned down, George thought he was finally out. He could pretend to be dead, then take the two of you and the insurance money and start a new life. But someone found out that he was still alive. When he found this out, he knew the only way to protect the two of you was to return to the company. So he did. But now that we've found him, now that we've given him a choice, he wants to go start that new life. I think you should talk with him. You all need to figure out what the plan is. We go for your new identities tomorrow. We need to know if you'll be a family or not. If you decide not to continue on with George, we will give the two of you separate identities from his, identities that he won't know. You'll leave a few days before he does, and you'll start over."

He paused, looking over the scared faces in front of him. He'd forgotten what it was like to be that scared for such a seemingly small reason.

"Are you two ready?"

Zoe and Stella turned to each other, waiting to see what the other wanted. Slowly, they both began nodding their head.

"Okay. Cameron? Will you go get McCarthy?"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks everyone for reading and for all the great feedback!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or the show.

* * *

It had been almost 7 minutes sent George McCarthy had sat down across from his wife and daughter. Almost 7 minutes of complete silence. George had thought a lot about this moment, seeing the two of them. But he hadn't quite thought enough about what he would say.

Practically regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth, George almost whispered to them, "I'm sorry." He knew how that sounded. He knew sorry wasn't enough, but he had nothing else. Nothing yet, at least.

Another minute of silence. Then...

"Why?" Zoe asked angrily. "Why did you even come to us in the first place, if you were just going to go back to that company? Why did you tell us that you were innocent, that you were just scared?"

"Zoe..." he started, but she wouldn't let him.

"No! You told us we'd be a family again. You told us that we would be happy." Her voice became quiet again. "You lied."

More silence followed, as George had no appropriate response. Nothing to make her feel better.

"You killed him, daddy. You killed Mike's father, and you just watched as those other men killed Mike and his mother. How could you do that?" She was crying now, her voice breaking. "How could you do something like that and still look me in the face? And the postcard..." She trailed off, no longer able to speak through the tears.

George spoke now. He didn't know where the courage or the words came from, but they were now there. "Zoe, honey? I did it all for you." He looked to his wife, who hadn't looked up from her lap the whole time. "For both of you. Do you know what would have happened if I had refused? If I had left or refused to follow an order? They would have killed you, then they would have killed me. Just like what happened to Mike's family. I'm sorry, honey, but someone would have done it, and if I had refused, we would have received the same. I had no choice. They would've found us if we tried to leave. They always find you. But then the factory burned down, and I thought that this could be our chance. Our chance to get away from them. We just had to wait until after the funerals. But someone found out, and I had no choice but to go back to the company. If anything just so they wouldn't hurt you. I didn't know if they would let me live, but I hoped that they would at least leave you alone. It was all for you...it was all for you."

As he finished, exhausted, his wife raised her eyes to meet his. "Is that everything?"

He sighed heavily, "Yes."

"Good."

* * *

Kyle and Derek had left already. Cameron was currently assessing the area for any threats. She was never comfortable in unfamiliar territory. Sarah and John stood outside in the backyard to give the McCarthy's some privacy.

"It's nice out," John remarked. He was hit with the realization that he wasn't sure what to say. Things had been strained between them for so long. He wasn't sure how to talk to her anymore. This struck him as odd since until a few years ago, she was the only constant in his life. The only real connection he had. But not things had changed. He had changed. He was no longer John Connor, future leader of the resistance; he was now John Connor, leader of the resistance.

Sarah surprised him by taking him into a big hug. She squeezed him so tightly, he found it hard to breathe. He returned the hug before she eventually pulled away. She turned her attention to the moon, big and bright.

"What was that for?" John asked, confused at the seemingly random action.

She kept her attention on the moon. "Nothing." When she turned to him, she had a slight look of mysteriousness to her. "I just feel like we haven't spent any time together since you got back. Even before that, really." She was serious now. "John. I'm proud of the man you've become." At his surprise, she continued, "Don't think I haven't noticed. You've really stepped up. You've made some hard decisions and though I may not always agree with them, they are your decisions. I just hope that you never feel you have to hide anything from me. I'll always support you."

John kept a straight face, but it was difficult in light of what she had just said. He didn't want to keep anything hidden, but he honestly couldn't see any way not to. No matter what she said now, she couldn't possibly know that she'd still support him if she knew.

Thankfully, John didn't have to worry too much longer. Cameron came around from the side of the house. "The McCarthy's have concluded their discussion. This is an ideal time to return to the house."

Sarah and John followed Cameron inside, as John prepared himself for whatever the outcome would be.

* * *

"We have decided to stay together," Stella stated, surprising John and especially Sarah.

"Are you sure?" Sarah asked. "Because you can't change your mind later. Getting new identities, good, long-lasting ones, is difficult."

Zoe spoke now. "Yes. We're sure. There are things to work out, but we want to be together."

"Okay," John started, "we'll go for the new identities tomorrow. Until then, I suggest you all get some sleep, it's been a long day for all of us. You can use the two guest rooms." He turned to Cameron. "Cameron, can you show them where they are, and make sure McCarthy is secure?"

"Of course, John. Come with me," she instructed the McCarthy's. As they all filed out of the living room down the hallway, John asked Sarah, "Do you think he'll really stay away? Start a new life?"

"There's no way to tell. If the intel is correct tomorrow, then that's a good sign. No reason for him to go back."

"Unless he's a true believer."

* * *

"The two of you can share this bed," Cameron said to Zoe and Stella, gesturing to one of the guest rooms. Then she addressed George, "You can take the other room." He still had handcuffs on, and Cameron took the key out. She pulled George as gently as she could to the bed he'd be staying in for the night before unlocking the handcuff located on his left hand. She quickly re-locked it, this time securing it to the headboard.

"Wait," Zoe said, "can't you let him out of the handcuffs?"

"No," Cameron replied, "He is still a flight risk."

"Isn't that the point? For us to leave?"

"Not yet. We must confirm that his intel is correct and not a trap. Then you will receive your new identities and be allowed to leave."

"You mean he could be lying?" Stella asked.

Cameron tilted her head slightly. "I am very adept at telling if someone is lying, and he does not appear to be, but I am not always one hundred percent correct in my analyses. Some humans are exceptionally skilled at lying." She addressed Zoe, "You had me fooled for awhile at first, at the funeral. But soon I realized something was off."

"You mean about my dad being dead?" Zoe asked.

"Yes. About that. Time for you to go to sleep." Cameron ensured that both women were in bed before leaving for the living room.

* * *

When Cameron returned to the living room, she found John laying on the couch, visibly exhausted.

"Where's Sarah?" Cameron asked him.

"She went to bed."

Cameron didn't respond, she just walked across the room to where John was and sat down on the edge of the couch facing John. He moved his right hand to encircle her waist. She placed her right hand on the other side of John. She reached out with her left hand and ran her fingers down the right side of his face. He closed his eyes, taking in the soothing comfort of her touch. He hated having to go the whole day without it. She continued caressing his face even as he began speaking.

"Tomorrow will be...difficult, won't it?"

"Yes, it will John. But I believe in you. We all believe in you. We're going to find out who is running Kaleba and hopefully tomorrow will bring us one step closer." Her hand stopped moving, now only cupping his face. He opened his eyes. "You are a great leader. You can do this." She gave him a reassuring smile before he gently pulled her face to his, taking her into a warm, soft kiss. It occurred to him that these would be the moments he'd remember. Not the fights he'd been in or the wounds he'd received, but these moments with Cameron at the end of the day.

Zoe, who was not interested in sleeping, stood there, watching the two of them.

* * *

John woke up to the smell of pancakes. The air smelled faintly of burnt...something, so he deduced that his mother was making breakfast this morning. He sat up to better see in to the kitchen, and sure enough Sarah was standing at the stove.

"Burnt pancakes again?" John asked teasingly.

"No...well, not these ones. I had a little trouble at first, but these are looking good."

"Edible breakfast is always good."

"Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Cameron had entered the room, unnoticed by either John or Sarah. "It is important to start the day off right."

John smiled in spite of himself, but quickly caught himself. He hoped that Sarah hadn't noticed.

"Pancakes are done," Sarah announced. "Cameron, could you go tell the McCarthys it's time to eat and get George unlocked and out here?"

Cameron left without a word as John got up to join his mother in the kitchen.

"Big day ahead of us," Sarah said.

"Yeah, big day."

"I want you and Cameron to go for the identities. I think the two of you will be less conspicuous. You can leave after breakfast, and when you get back we'll head to the meet. We'll need to get there early to assess vantage points as well as points of exit and entry."

"Yeah, I know mom, the leader of the resistance, a man, right?"

"Sorry, it's just a force of habit."

"I know, but you don't have to worry."

She motioned for him to sit down as Cameron and the McCarthys joined them. The breakfast table was just big enough for all six of them. Sarah gave Cameron a pancake so as not to draw attention to her. They all dug into their breakfasts in silence. Once everyone was almost finished, they heard the front door open. Cameron jumped up and pulled out the 9mm she had stuffed into her pants at the waist, and went to identify the subject. She lowered her gun as Kyle and Derek appeared.

Sarah greeted them, "Hey, glad you could make it so early. Cameron and John were just leaving. There are more pancakes, if you're hungry."

Neither brother relished the thought of eating Sarah's infamous pancakes, but they were starving, so they each reluctantly piled some pancakes on a plate and began eating.

* * *

He focused solely on her. It's why he'd asked her to drive. He knew she'd be able to drive safely no matter how distracting he was. He had purposefully sat as far to the left on the passenger seat as possible. They hadn't been driving long, so he knew that they had a while to go.

He reached out to run his fingers down the side of her arm. It was a bit of a stretch, but he could reach. He felt her shiver, reacting to his touch. His fingers found their way to her hand on the steering wheel. He covered her hand with his. Her eyes met his, smiling just as much as her mouth did.

He unlocked his seat belt and slid closer to her.

"John, your seat belt should be on. Safety first."

He grinned mischievously, "I trust you. You'd never let us crash."

"But someone could crash into us, John."

He sighed and pulled the lap belt around his waist and secured it in its other half.

He turned his body towards her and placed his left arm around the back of her headrest. His right index finger found her soft cheek and grazed it, following the line of jaw down to her chin. His thumb reached out to her neck, which drew him in closer. He placed tiny kisses on her neck over and over again.

"John," she half giggled, half spoke. When he didn't respond and instead continued on, she tried again. "John, now is not the time for this."

Still pressed up against her neck, his mouth let out a tiny groan. "When will be the time, then?" He pulled away to be able to see her face. "In the house, we're never alone, and when we're out, we're always on missions or expected to be back soon."

"It won't always be this way. And until then, we'll figure something out. I promise. Just not now."

"Okay, I'll settle for holding your hand."

She considered the likelihood of her making a mistake driving with only one hand and weighed it with John's happiness and her own. Then she took his left hand into her right. She felt him relax a bit as he rubbed the back of her hand with the fingers of his right hand.

After a lengthy silence, John spoke. "We are going to succeed. I'll make sure of it. Then we can live our life. Together. I promise you."

Logically, Cameron knew that John could not make such a promise and ensure that he would keep it, but she appreciated the sentiment behind it regardless.

A few minutes later, and they arrived at their destination. It was an old church not unlike the one Father Batista could be found at. Cameron had brought the money needed in a small, black handbag.

When they entered the church, both John and Cameron examined the area. Thankfully, there were only three other people in the large chapel, two of whom were seated towards the front. The third was sitting more towards the middle on the left side of the aisle. Cameron left John to ensure that they were truly alone; that this wasn't a trap. John walked down the aisle, and about half-way down stopped and sat down next to the girl.

"I didn't think I'd see you again. Your mother told you to leave. And even after I saw the news, I was still surprised you called."

John ignored her statements and got right to business. "I need three new identities. Birth certificates, credit cards, everything. A husband and a wife in their forties, and their teenage daughter. Somewhere between sixteen and eighteen should work."

"I'll need a few days."

"I need them tomorrow."

She turned to him. "It'll cost extra."

"That's fine."

"I need half now."

Just then, Cameron came up behind John. She sat down behind the other two and placed the black handbag next to her.

John responded, "That's half. You get the rest and your bonus when you finish in time."

He stood up and headed out of the church, Cameron next to him.

After they left, the girl picked up the handbag before leaving as well.

* * *

"Checkmate." John Henry looked at Ellison and grinned like a child.

Ellison didn't know why he continued to play chess with John Henry. He never won, and he knew he never would. But it was still his job to teach John Henry, and John Henry often preferred to concentrate on more than one activity at a time. His mind worked so quickly, he would tend to get bored. So Ellison had taken to playing games with John Henry, specifically chess.

"You are getting better, Mr. Ellison."

"Am I, now, John Henry? It doesn't seem that way to me. You're still winning."

"Winning isn't everything Mr. Ellison. It's how you play the game. And you are playing the game rather well."

"Where'd you learn that, John Henry?"

"The Internet. There are many different sources and variations of this quote, but it originated from the popular American sportswriter, Grantland Rice."

"Really? I never knew that."

"You can find all sorts of things on the Internet, Mr. Ellison. It is an excellent resource. I highly recommend it. You may be able to improve your chess skill using information obtained from the Internet."

Ellison tried to keep a straight face. "Thank you, John Henry. I'll take that under advisement."

You're welcome, Mr. Ellison."

Just then, Weaver entered the room. John Henry directed his attention to her, and seeing this, Ellison directed his attention to her as well.

"John Henry, I have just spoken with Ms. Stoker, and she is available at 3 o' clock for a meeting."

"Thank you, Ms. Weaver."

"You're welcome, John Henry. We leave at 2:30. Mr. Ellison." She nodded in recognition of him.

After she left, Ellison turned back to John Henry. "Who's Ms. Stoker?"

Another child-like grin from John Henry. "She's a new friend."

* * *

John and Cameron returned to the house just in time to start loading up ammunition and weapons to take with them to the meet.

"You two are staying," John said to Kyle and Derek. He hated leaving them behind all the time, but he hadn't had enough time to get to know their strengths and weaknesses, and therefore didn't have the confidence in them he'd like to have. Also, he knew they needed Cameron, and he also knew his mom wouldn't stay behind. He preferred that two of them stay behind to make sure the McCarthys don't try to make a run for it.

"Sorry, but we need to make sure they're safe." He nodded towards the McCarthys who were sitting in the living room talking about god knows what.

Once the truck was loaded up, John, Sarah, and Cameron got inside and drove off.

Once they were gone, Derek turned to Kyle. "Do you ever get the feeling we're just glorified babysitters?"

"All the time."

* * *

Weaver and John Henry had arrived at Carly Stoker's residence, which she also apparently used as a workspace as well. It was located deep in downtown L.A. in and older, restored building.

Weaver found Carly's name on the residence listing and pressed the buzzer next to her name.

A voice came out through the speaker. "Yes?"

"Ms. Stoker?" Weaver inquired.

"Yes?"

"I'm Catherine Weaver, I spoke to you on the phone earlier."

"Of course, please come up."

The buzzer sounded as the door made an unlocking sound and Weaver opened the door. According to the residence listing, Carly's apartment was located on the fifth floor, which just so happened to be the top floor. After taking the elevator up, Weaver and John Henry easily found Carly's apartment. The door opened just as they approached it, and there stood a woman, probably in her mid to late twenties. She had dark, long hair and was wearing a very eclectic ensemble with lots of black and purple incorporated into it.

"Come in, please. Can I offer either of you anything to eat or drink?"

Each of the machines immediately responded with a "No."

"Then please, come sit down." Weaver and John Henry each sat down on one of the two chairs, leaving Carly to sit on the sofa. She sat somewhat sprawled out, with her left arm on the back of the couch, holding her head up, her body turned slightly to the left.

She addressed Weaver, "I assume that you are Catherine Weaver, so who is this with you?" She turned her attention to John Henry now.

"I am John Henry." He gave her a grin, which she returned.

"Nice to meet you, John Henry. Now, Mrs. Weaver, I'm curious as to why you are here. You were very vague on the phone."

"I have a job for you. Actually, John Henry has a job for you. Have you heard of Zeira Corp, Ms. Stoker?"

"Of course, you're one of the largest tech companies in the country."

"Yes. Now, we are working on a special project, and we'd like to take you on as an employee."

"Well, I only do consultant work, Mrs. Weaver."

"I understand that, but I assure you I will make it worth your while." Weaver took a piece of paper out of her purse and slid it across the table to Carly.

Carly picked up the slip of paper and looked at the information. "Really? This much?"

"Ms. Stoker, I assure you that is a small price for me to pay when it concerns this project. I assume you accept the position."

Carly hesitated. She liked her independence and flexibility, but she also knew that in this economy it was stupid to pass up an opportunity like this. Carly knew what her answer was, though.

"I'm in."

* * *

They arrived at the meet location forty five minutes prior to when the meet was scheduled. They were in the center of a group of abandoned warehouses.

"How cliche," John couldn't help but remark.

"Why is that?" Cameron asked him.

"It's just...it's a covert meeting between two assumedly dangerous groups of people in the middle of a bunch of abandoned warehouses. It's been done to death."

"Well, it's a viable, logical option. Many people do not come to this area, there is no reason to. I assume this is the reason it is a cliche. Because it works."

Sarah interrupted their conversation then. "Okay, I'm going to find the best roof shot, while I want the two of you to conceal yourselves behind those crates." She pointed the crates out. "I want you close so that Cameron can hear what's being said. Make sure your phones are on silent, but keep an eye on them in case I need to get a hold of you."

Then she left, abruptly. John couldn't help but smile a bit at his mother's bossiness. It was going to be difficult for her to get used to him making decisions now. He'd let her have her small pleasures. But when it comes to the big decisions, that had to be all him.

After a long wait, Cameron could finally hear a car approaching. Soon, a Hummer came into view. It parked, but no one got out. A few minutes later, a town car arrived. The driver got out and opened the door for his boss. Another man got out of the other side of the car. Cameron scanned all of the men for identification. After scanning the boss and the driver, she scanned the third man. Her scan came up positive for a T-888 endoskeleton.

"John, that's a Triple-8."

"Which one?"

"The one furthest away."

"Oh, you mean the scary-looking one?"

Then the driver and the passenger of the Hummer got out and walked towards the other men. Cameron listened in.

The man from the town car spoke first. "Do you have him?"

The man from the passenger seat of the Hummer replied, "Yes. Do you have the rest of the money?"

The T-888 holds up a briefcase. The driver, assumedly the bodyguard, reaches out for it and takes it. He checks for the money. Satisfied, he gives a nod to his boss, who then gives a signal to the Hummer. Two men exit the Hummer from either side. The man on the driver's side of the Hummer, the far side, seems to be helping someone out of the large vehicle. The men walk forward to join the others as the hostage comes into view.

Immediately, John, Sarah, and Cameron recognize the hostage. It was Danny Dyson, Miles Dyson's son.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Shorter than the others, but only because Chapter 5 was too long to merge the two, and this had to be in this episode. This is the last chapter of the episode, and then I will be moving on to Episode 4.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or the show.

* * *

Unbidden thoughts rushed through Sarah's mind. _Danny Dyson. This is what happened to him. What do they want with him? We've got to get him out of here._

Just then, she received a text message from Cameron.

CANNOT ACQUIRE HIM. TOO MUCH RISK. T-888 AND AT LEAST 4 HIGHLY TRAINED HUMANS. WE WILL TRACK THEM DOWN LATER.

Sarah sighs. Cameron knows her too well. _But there must be some way._ Sarah searches her mind, trying to find a way, but isn't able to do so without risking the life of her son and herself.

* * *

John knows it's the best plan. He doesn't like it, but he at least knows it. And he knows that being a leader is making decisions like these. Risking someone else's life for the overall mission. He promises to himself that he will do everything in his power to rescue Danny Dyson.

"We can track them through traffic cameras, right?" he asked Cameron.

She replied, "John Henry can."

"We need to make sure we can identify these men, find out who they are, who they work for, and what they're doing. Danny could be an important asset to either side, so he is a priority as well." _Plus, we owe it to Terissa_, John thought to himself.

John's attention was brought back to the men when he heard three consecutive gunshots ring through the air. He looked up just in time to see the three men that had brought Danny fall to the ground. The T-888 had executed them. The Triple-8 retrieved the briefcase and the boy while the boss and the driver got back into the car. The Triple-8 joined them, bringing along Danny, and they drove away.

* * *

Ellison had been restless for the past few days. At the request of Ms. Weaver, he had continued his job as Head of Security until such time as she needed him for something else. He felt much like he had in the days following his realization that Sarah Connor was, indeed, telling the truth all these years.

He was still allowed access to the basement, but hadn't been able to bring himself to travel down there, for reasons unknown to him. But today was different. He was tired of doing nothing. There had been few security issues that demanded his attention. His job over the past few days had mostly entailed processing the paperwork for security clearances. Though this was a significant amount of work (as security clearances were re-set every week), it still wasn't enough to keep him busy and his mind distracted.

So Ellison ventured down to the basement. He knew that Weaver and John Henry weren't even in the building, which comforted him. He still wasn't comfortable around Weaver, and now was less comfortable around John Henry.

He exited the elevator, then made his way down the hall. On his way to John Henry's "room", his eye caught sight of the lab. Mr. Murch was there, working on some project Ellison knew he would never come close to understanding. He'd spent little time in the lab and decided now was as good a time as any to familiarize himself with it.

He stood there for a few seconds, waiting for Murch to become aware of his presence. Then it occurred to him Murch was probably not going to become aware of his presence as he was incredibly focused on his current project. So Ellison cleared his throat.

Murch practically jumped at the sound and turned his attention from his project to Ellison.

"Mr. Ellison, I didn't realize you were there."

"Of course not. What you're working on is probably way more interesting than anything I have to say."

Ellison could tell that Murch was trying not to outwardly agree with him, but his body language told Ellison what Murch was really thinking.

"So what are you working on now, Mr. Murch?"

"I'm finishing up John Henry's wireless satellite communication chip."

"You mean he's not wireless now?"

"Well, he's wireless, obviously," Ellison detected a hint of annoyance from Murch, possibly from not being in on the decision to disconnect John Henry and build and insert a chip into his head. "But he isn't able to connect to the internet via his chip in the way that he could connect to the internet before. He can connect when there's a strong wi-fi network in the area, but Weaver wants him to be able to connect to the internet at any time."

"That's a lot of power."

"Power of information, maybe, but nothing more."

Ellison knew from the stories that that's similar to what the people who first built Skynet thought as well. He knew now that he'd have to keep an eye on this development. Who knows how this could affect John Henry?

* * *

In the truck, driving to Zeira Corp, Sarah expressed her anger. "We could have taken them. Especially once they shot the other guys. We might not be able to find them again."

"We will. We're going to track them using the traffic cams. That's where we're going now. We'll be prepared this time."

"John, that might not work."

"Well, it's a better plan than going at them back there."

"John..."

He cut her off, "This is the plan. It's done. There's no use in arguing."

Sarah was silent the rest of the car ride.

* * *

"They pulled out onto Broadway between 4th and Garril." John instructed John Henry as he pulled up the traffic cameras from that area.

"Right there," Cameron pointed out the black town car on the screen. "The time stamp matches up with my records."

The car turned North and continued on Broadway towards 4th. John Henry pulled up the traffic cam at 4th and jumped to the corresponding time frame. They easily found the car as it turned right to go East.

"We don't know how far they're going, so this could be awhile," Cameron stated.

* * *

Sarah had stayed behind with Weaver in her office while the others went with John Henry.

"Will this work?" Sarah asks Weaver.

"I cannot predict the future, but there is no foreseeable reason for it to fail. While we're waiting, there's something I'd like to show you Ms. Connor. It just recently came to my attention and I thought you might be interested in it."

Weaver walked across the room to her computer as Sarah looked on, worried about what was coming, and trying to prepare herself.

* * *

After 20 minutes of following the car around L.A., John was noticeably restless. Just as Cameron moved to massage his shoulders, John tensed up even more.

"Where'd it go?"

Cameron looked back to the screen. John Henry had pulled up the next traffic cam, but there was no footage found. The screen was blank.

John Henry quickly assessed the situation, checking nearby traffic cameras and replied, "It seems as if all of the traffic cameras in this four-block radius have been disabled."

"Well, check to see if they ever leave that four-block radius."

John Henry obliged, silently. As he searched the surrounding cameras, John turned to Cameron.

"Cameron, this was supposed to work. If we can't find him..."

She cut him off, "Shhh, John, of course we'll find him. It's a four-block radius, not a whole city."

"They have not exited the area, unless they have switched vehicles."

John got right to work. "Good. Then we'll split up and canvass the area. John Henry, you'll stay here and monitor the cameras to make sure they don't leave."

"John, we still should identify the men."

"John Henry, can you work on that as well?"

"Yes, John. However, I have no data to base the search on. The traffic cameras do not show their faces."

Cameron spoke up, "I have their images stored on my chip."

"Then you can upload it to me," John Henry suggested.

"Only if John takes my chip out and you upload it from there."

They both looked at John, waiting for him to agree.

John fought himself. The last thing he wanted to do after everything that had happened was hand over Cameron's chip to John Henry again. But he knew it was the only way, and that there was no reason not to trust John Henry.

"Okay. But only for a few minutes."

* * *

John brushed the hair back from Cameron's face, her chip in his other hand. He stood up and walked across the room to connect it to the computer.

Once connected, the data jumped directly to the footage from the meet. However, the data is interspersed with footage of John. John reminded himself to ask Cameron about this later.

"I have saved the facial images of all of the men. You may disconnect her chip now and reinsert it."

John sighed, relieved it hadn't taken long. As he reinserted Cameron's chip, John Henry brought up his search. He opened up one for each man. Images flash by as they are being compared to the faces of each man. Cameron reboots, giving John a reassuring smile.

One of the searches stopped. The photo matches. John Henry read aloud the information as John and Cameron joined him.

"Christoph Mercer. He deals in an assortment of different weapons, including technological weapons. There appears to be no obvious ties to anything related to Skynet or The Turk."

The other searches had found matches now, and John Henry reported the results. "The other men are part of a gang. They are what the people on the street call 'thugs-for-hire.'"

"So Mercer just hired them to kidnap Danny? Explains why they were so disposable to him." John thought about the next move.

"Let's go find this Christoph Mercer."

* * *

The footage played on the large projection screen before Sarah.

"No. It's not true. It can't be."

* * *

**NOTE: This story is continued in Episode 4: Important People.**


End file.
